


Assuming only makes an ass out of u and me

by IAmNotGoodatthisnamingthing



Category: NCT (Band), WAYV
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Getting Together, M/M, i feel winwin is slowly climbing up my kpop bias list, next on the series of things i write while i'm procrastinating, orange lemon cross
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:47:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27060691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmNotGoodatthisnamingthing/pseuds/IAmNotGoodatthisnamingthing
Summary: If Sicheng had joined university at the regular time as other freshers, this would not have befallen him today.In other words, Sicheng is hardcore crushing on his roommate Jaehyun, who only treats him like they're the bestest of bros...or does he?
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun, Dong Si Cheng | WinWin/Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun, Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung/Nakamoto Yuta
Comments: 14
Kudos: 160





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoying reading~

If Sicheng had joined university at the regular time as other freshers, this would not have befallen him today. 

But no, he’d had to join a whole semester late, delayed by visa issues and negotiating scholarships with this new institute and his parents unhappy about sending their only child (and son!) half a world away to study _dance_ of all things. So, yeah he blames his parents and the institute for having him end up rooming with Jaehyun, and basically meeting him for the first time and falling head over heels with him.

Which Sicheng had never told Jaehyun because:

For one, he was pretty sure Jaehyun didn’t see him as anything more than just a bro. Admittedly, Jaehyun had told Sicheng point blank multiple times that Sicheng was his favourite roommate (his only roommate!) and favourite cuddle buddy (so sue him, they cuddled while watching movies every Saturday night in a ritual their other friends merrily referred to as the roommate bonding sessions). And this would have given Sicheng hope, except for…

...Jungwoo. Their university’s cutest (and nicest cheerleader) who Jaehyun was always seen around with, despite the duo never labeling their relationship. 

Endless times Sicheng had come back to his dorm exhausted by gruelling dancing practice only to find Jaehyun and Jungwoo studying together, Jungwoo more than usually wearing one of Jaehyun’s hoodies. Sicheng had thought about asking Jaehyun multiple times about why he and Jungwoo were not making things official yet. But he’d always backed down, happy to spare himself the heartbreak that would come with confirming his worst fears about Jaehyun being irrevocably in love with sweet Jungwoo who always made Sicheng boxes of low-carb cookies before his performance weeks.

But the heart wants what it wants and Sicheng’s heart wants Jaehyun’s love, despite being resigned to the fact that he had a far better chance becoming a primo ballerino in less than a year than well, getting into a relationship with Jaehyun.

“Is he moping over Jaehyun again?” Ten asks, strolling into Kun and Yuta’s shared apartment and startling Sicheng out of his musing.

“What else?” Doyoung rolls his eyes expertly, diligently highlighting his notes.

“What is it this time? A snapchat post? A thirst trap mirror selfie from the basketball locker rooms? A profoundly philosophical Instagram post that will fly over my head but I’ll not have any qualms about mocking?” Ten drawls, heading to the fridge and helping himself to a bottle of chilled water.

“His dimpled smile,” Kun sighs, hip-checking Ten when he passes by and instinctively tilting his head for the kiss Ten plants on the apple of his cheek.

“Ugh, not the dimples again,” Ten gasps in fake-horror. “Last time Jaehyunnie posted that photo with the beret in a cafe, we lost Sicheng to three hours of incoherent rambling. I still think that was more words than he has spoken in total all freshman year.”

“Make fun of my slow language learning curve and the pathetic state of my crush all at once, why don’t you?” Sicheng retorts, before trying to turn the focus away from him. “How come you’re late? Practice halls closed half an hour earlier.”

“Had to go in for some conditioning,” Ten shrugs, gesturing to his back. “Where’s Doyoung’s more chaotic half?”

“Right here!” Yuta appears at the doorway, wearing braids in his hair and a fairly unhinged smile on his face.

“Why do you look like you ran over a racist homophobe?” Doyoung asks, before pausing to reconsider. “Again.”

“No such thing,” Yuta waves his hand dismissively, stripping out of his clothes (and expertly throwing them at the laundry hamper) as he made his way to his room. “A Japanese kid came over on an exposure tour this morning, and as one of the volunteer guides for the day I took him around campus and showed him the sights. Pretty sure Shotaro’s joining NCT U!”

“That’s great, Yu,” Doyoung pipes up, exchanging the yellow highlighter in his hand for an orange one. 

“Hell yeah, it is,” Yuta says enthusiastically, popping back into the room wearing a pair of boardshorts and a tank top. “What did I miss?”

“Just the usual,” Ten answers, stretching across the sofa right in front of which Doyoung and Sicheng are sitting, one studying and the other gaming. “Kun’s making salad to ensure we all eat healthy at least once a week, Doyoung doing his colour-coded exam revision thing, and of course Sicheng pining after Jaehyun.”

“I’m not pining,” Sicheng scoffs, stuffing his mouth with more of the caramel popcorn he’d bought from the bodega around the corner.

“Of course not,” Kun says patronisingly, dropping by to ruffle Sicheng’s hair. “You’ve just been head over heels for him since the day you met him, and continue to daydream about him, while living the bro-est possible friendship with him. Would you say that’s a sufficient synopsis?”

“You’ve been spending too much time with Yuta hyung,” Sicheng crosses his arms across his chest. “And Ten ge. I expect _them_ to tease me, not you.”

“Well done babe!” Ten smacks Kun’s butt as Kun plops into his side. 

“You should tell him sometime,” Yuta advises, wiggling himself between Sicheng and Doyoung to give the latter a one armed side hug. 

“Oh yeah? And say what?” Sichen drawls. “Hey Jae, I know you think of me as your best friend, but I’ve been in love with you since day one, and I stare at you when you walk across our dorm shirtless and my heart bursts when we are watching movies and you go to sleep cuddling with me and I’m horribly jealous of Jungwoo who gets to wear your hoodies and hold your hand at parties, so why don’t you break up with who I am sure is your romantic partner and go out with me?”

“Maybe don’t say it like that,” Yuta says, now giving Sicheng a one-armed hug.

“Be more straightforward. Tell him ‘ Hey I like you. Do you like me? No, okay. Your loss’,” Ten advises. “Worked for me.”

“Babe, I’ve told you time and again it wasn’t the line or the accompanying cheesy wink that worked on me. It was the way you helped me not feel embarrassed after I spilled coffee on you,” Kun replies, patting Ten’s thigh.

“And me. I was there, right beside you, when you spilled the coffee which by the way was meant for me, but you two seem to always forget that _I_ am the reason you met,” Sicheng huffs.

Suddenly, Ten sat upright, a crazy glint in his eyes.

“What?” Sicheng asks warily, because as good a friend as Ten was to him, his brilliant ideas were not always good (or legal).

“That’s just it,” Ten starts smiling like he’s figured out the secret of the universe. “If you won’t confess to Jaehyun, which I’m assuming you won’t?”

“That would be right to assume,” Sicheng shoots him finger guns. “I’m not about to spill my deepest secret in front of him just to have him cancel me and our friendship.”

“Technicalities,” Ten shakes his head. “Point is, if you won’t take a chance with Jaehyun, you should take a chance outside of him.”

“What do you mean?” Sicheng asks, perplexed.

“Oh,” Yuta snaps his fingers. “I get it! He means you should let us set you up on dates.”

“Which part of pining over Jaehyun slipped over your radar?” Sicheng asks. “Blind dates aren’t about to make me fall in love with someone else.”

“Jaehyun was your ride or die on first sight though,” Doyoung points out the exact same time that Kun comments, “So you _do_ admit you’re pining?”

“Technicalities,” Sicheng mimics Ten from earlier. “Point is, I’m not looking for love.”

“Then how about a lay? I know at least 5 guys who want to get into your pants and I can set you up easily, no problem.” Ten winks at him lecherously (and Sicheng feels something in him shrivel up irrevocably).

Before Sicheng can yell at him, Kun (bless his soul) smacks his head. 

“Sicheng is not the kind of person who can commit his heart and body to separate people. Don’t bring absurd claims to the table,” Kun retorts, smacking Ten again just because he can.

“But-,” Ten starts only to be brought to a pause at Kun’s resulting glare.

“Alright, so no one night stands for Winko,” Yuta says amicably. “But why not blind dates? Between the four of us, we can definitely hook you up with some great guys. I’m not talking commitment, think of it as fun outings with some decent people who you could vibe with.”

“Hyung,” Sicheng starts tiredly, only to be interrupted by Doyoung.

“Don’t say no just yet,” Doyoung says. “Think a bit. I think it might be a good idea. You would get to meet some new people and practice your Korean and English a bit more outside of the bubble of your friends, and who knows you might end up having fun.”

“And if you don’t want us to meddle, you can sign up yourself for the campus-wide matchmaking app that Johnny Suh had developed for his final year project last year, and take things at your pace,” Kun continues. “Think about it a bit?”

Sicheng bites his lip, unwilling to say no to the hopeful faces of four of his closest friends and yet torn in his heart about the futility of trying to curve a space for someone new. Because frankly his heart belongs to Jaehyun, but he’s also aware he has no chances with Jaehyun, so what could be the harm in trying?

But at last he nods. “Okay, I’ll think about it. The app. Not the set up, I don’t want to make things awkward for you and any friends you might set me up with,” he says hastily. “Happy?”

“Immensely!” Ten grins the same time as Yuta whoops in joy.

“That’s settled then,” Kun claps his hand. “I’m gonna get the salad and the salmon I’ve baked.”

“And I’ll run down to the bodega and get some wine and soju,” Yuta volunteers. “What?” he shrugs when everyone turns to stare at him. “It’s Friday night and Sicheng _finally_ agreed to check out other people, we should celebrate!”

  
  
  


And that’s why, three hours later Sicheng has to stumble back to his shared dorm while squinting at the floor (because as the youngest of the group (and Kun’s pseudo adoptive younger brother), Kun felt obligated to stuff him with food, and Yuta (as his self-proclaimed life coach) felt the need to ply him with more and more alcohol).

Waddling back to his room (after being intensely judged by their building’s night guard), Sicheng finds the room devoid of any signs of life. No Jaehyun waiting to greet him with a smile, no humidifier softly whirring in the corner, no music faintly blaring out of Jaehyun’s bluetooth headphones. 

The scene is so unfamiliar (because Jaehyun does usually wait up for him) that Sicheng has to walk out and confirm that he has indeed unlocked the door to his own dorm room (which it turns out he has). So, he walks in and flops down on his bed, shoes and jacket still on his body and is rewarded for his laziness by a piece of paper scratching his throat. Groaning in annoyance, he extracts the paper and turns on his bedside lamp just to ensure he’s not about to ball up and throw away a loose page from any of his upcoming assignments.

But no, it’s not an assignment page. It’s a note. From Jaehyun. That reads:

_Hey Winwinnie! Heading home with Jungwoo tonight :) I’ll see you tomorrow evening. Don’t forget it’s your turn to buy popcorn for our movie night! Sleep well and don’t miss me too much~ J <3 _

Great, not only is he being deprived of Jaehyun’s dimpled smile but Jaehyun just has to let him know about his booty calls in a note signed off with a heart. How disgusting.

Sicheng gargles something the rough approximation of rat bastard, and aggressively unlocks his phone to click on his chatbox with Yuta. The latest message in their chat is a link to the matchmaking app, and Sicheng has to take just one deep breath to resolve himself before he’s clicking on the link.

Sicheng awakens to a splitting headache and a soft hand caressing through his hair. Squinting an eye open, he is rewarded with the sight of Jaehyun staring down at him with a soft smile.

“Back in the land of living?” Jaehyun asks, retracting his hand and sitting down at the edge of Sicheng’s bed.

“Ugh,” Sicheng replies intelligibly before bravely opening his other eye. “Time?”

“Just past 3,” Jaehyun confirms, consulting his Apple Watch. “Highly unlike you to sleep in this late.”

“Got really really drunk and came back really really late,” Sicheng says, subtly combing a hand through his bedhead.

“None of the hyungs walked you home?” Jaehyun frowns, and fuck - even that looks attractive, Sicheng is doomed. 

“They offered to let me stay but I insisted on walking back alone,” Sicheng explains hastily, in a bid to stop Jaehyun from charging the elders in their group chat, because Jaehyun (bless his oblivious soul!) definitely would if he felt Sicheng was being neglected or slighted. “You’re back early?”

“Woo has an assignment due Monday morning, and I thought I might as well get started on laundry,” Jaehyun shrugs, getting up and gesturing to the oddly piled laundry basket resting on his bed. “Wanna come with?”

“Give me a minute,” Sicheng replies, closing his eyes and flinging his hands over his head before stretching out his entire body. He sighs happily when his joints pop, and opens his eyes to see Jaehyun tracking his movements. 

“Can we get some food on the way back from the laundry room?” he asks Jaehyun, stripping his sleeping shirt to exchange it for a tee.

“Already got you a sandwich and coffee while coming back,” Jaehyun replies, looking away towards the door.

“And that’s why you’re my favourite!” Sicheng announces, finally in his shirt and having no qualms about roaming out and about in his pajama pants.

“Yuta hyung will cry big fat tears if he heard that,” Jaehyun snorts.

“Is what why you’re typing it in our group chat?” Sicheng asks, looking up from where he is shoving his used clothes in a hamper. Sure enough, Jaehyun is leaning against the wall, fingers busy rapidly typing on his phone.

Jaehyun snorts. “Expect calls from both Ten hyung and Yuta hyung soon.”

Sicheng rolls his eyes, and gestures for Jaehyun to lead the way out. Before locking the door, they both double-check their pockets to ensure that they have their keys with them (so they don’t get locked out like that one time during Easter break freshman year).

They jokingly banter all the way to the laundry room of their resident hall, occasionally bumping into friends and acquaintances of Jaehyun, where Sicheng bemoans his grueling practice sessions and Jaehyun keeps him updated about Yuta and Ten’s ongoing spat in the group chat about who was Sicheng’s real favourite hyung (which - spoiler alert - is actually Kun).

It is only when they’re in the laundry room, and Sicheng is measuring out a careful amount of fabric softener that Jaehyun asks, “Anything fun happened at the hangout last night?”

“Not really,” Sicheng says distractedly. “Why do you ask?”

“Quite unlike you to get really really drunk and sleep in really really late,” Jaehyung replies, alluding to Sicheng’s own words earlier. 

“Oh, that’s because,” Sicheng starts before coming to a quick pause, wondering how he could get across the real reason for their liquor-heavy celebrations. 

“Because?” Jaehyun nudges, starting his machine’s wash cycle.

“Wait, hand me my phone? It’s in my basket,” Sicheng shares, vaguely remembering about setting up his dating profile and preferences in the app last night. Jaehyun dutifully hands over the phone and watches as Sicheng turns on his phone’s data mode, causing the phone to start vibrating with multiple notifications almost immediately.

“Umm, care to explain?” Jaehyun arches an eyebrow, paying careful attention to the still spazzing phone.

“So, I signed up for a dating app last night,” Sicheng says, bidding his ears to not flush.

Jaehyun blinks. “Dating app, like Tinder?” he ventures finally. “The hyungs let you sign up for that?” 

“Not Tinder, it’s called Neo?” Sicheng shares. “It’s a campus-wide app ma-”

“Made by Johnny hyung,” Jaehyung completes. 

“You know Johnny Suh?” Sicheng tilts his head.

“We grew up neighbours and friends, and he had me beta-test some features of his app before his final presentation,” Jaehyun shares with a shrug. “So, uh, you signed up for Neo?”

“The hyungs recommended it,” Sicheng replies. “I set up very narrow preference ranges for my profile matching,” Sicheng continues, consulting his phone. “Kinda surprised I have 3 matches and about a 100 potential match messages already.”

“Why?” Jaehyun asks.

“What do you mean why?” Sicheng asks, narrowing his eyes. Because excuse him, was Jung Jaehyun implying Sicheng wasn’t attractive? Sicheng was a cutie without trying (Ten hyung’s words) and a catch worth spending at least 5 Master Pokeballs trying to capture (Yuta hyung’s recommendation).

“No no, I’m not saying why, as in why would people choose you, because I think you’re fucking incredible and I have a hard time as it is fending people off,” Jaehyun rambles, holding up his hand placatingly. “I meant why are you signed up on the app?”

“Because I want to go on nice dates and have fun?” Sicheng frowns, not understanding the point of this conversation.

“Why can’t you do that with me?” Jaehyun says, and Sicheng’s jaw slacks, because…

“What about Jungwoo?”

“What _about_ Jungwoo?” Jaehyun asks, sounding incredibly confused.

“Won’t he mind?” Sicheng returns.

“Why would he mind?”

“Because he’s your boyfriend? The guy you’re dating?” Sicheng nudges, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

Jaehyun pauses to blink at Sicheng. “That would be incest now, wouldn’t it?”

“What?” Sicheng asks faintly.

“Woo is my cousin, I thought I told you the first day I introduced the two of you?” Jaehyun asks.

“I neither knew how to Korean or English properly, and my translator device was faulty at best,” Sicheng rambles. “But why is he over all the time, and why does he wear your clothes?”

“Because there’s always some drama at the cheerleaders’ dorms, and Woo needs a place to escape,” Jaehyun explains. “He usually drops by after his practices so I let him shower and borrow my clothes.”

“Oh,” Sicheng says, looking down at his feet. _Well this changes things._

“Did you really think Woo and I were an item?” Jaehyun asks after a while.

“Yeah?” Sicheng shrugs, not being able to meet Jaehyun’s eyes. “You guys were always together, how could I not?”

“We’re not, rest assured,” Jaehyun says. “And I’m interested in you, I thought you knew?”

“What are you even saying?” Sicheng asks, reaching behind him to hold the washing machine device for support.

“I’m saying I like you, and I thought I was pretty clear about expressing my interest,” Jaehyun says plainly, curiously studying Sicheng’s ashen face. “Why are you shaking your head? Did you really not know?”

“Of course I didn’t! Do you think I would have signed up for a dating app if I knew my romantic interest has romantic interest in me?” Sicheng asks, feeling only slightly hysteric (with potential for more).

“You have romanti- _you_ like _me_?” Jaehyun asks, gaping.

“Why are you acting so surprised?” Sicheng says, laughing nervously. “I laugh at your dumb jokes, and let you cuddle me, and I even let you mess up our room until it resembles a pig sty.”

“But only during exam week,” Jaehyun adds automatically, reminiscing about the first time Sicheng had experienced exam week with Jaehyun, and how Sicheng had come back from his last exam to tidy up their entire room (and remove all containers of takeout food) before pointing a threatening finger at Jaehyun and saying _only because it’s exam week_. 

“Then how could you not know I like you?” Jaehyun asks after a pause. “I attend every of your performances and bring you roses and take just about every opportunity to cuddle you.”

“Because I thought you were into Jungwoo, and you’re just being a kind roommate to me,” Sicheng explains.

“I don’t know what other roommates you’ve had but kind roommates don’t put their hands around your waist when they hang out,” Jaehyun mutters in a low voice. And okay that was fair, because whenever they walked together whether to classes or to a hangout, Jaehyun made a habit of placing his arm around Sicheng (causing him to have an existential crisis each time).

“Shit,” Sicheng curses in his mother tongue. “Couldn’t you have been more obvious? Even the hyungs didn’t think you could be into me,” he berates, finally daring to look up at Jaehyun.

“Well then, they’re as oblivious as you are. I was clearly projecting,” Jaehyun says in frustration.

“No you weren’t.” Sicheng crosses his arms around his chest.

“Yes, I was.”

“No, you weren’t, not at all!”

“I definitely was,” Jaehyun shoots back, stepping closer and into Sicheng’s space. “Woo has been calling me a pathetic lovesick loser ever since I saw you perform at the winter festival for the first time and grew feels for you.”

“Well, the hyungs collectively call me a pining idiot because I have been head over heels for you ever since we became roommates and you introduced yourself to me in badly pronounced Chinese!” Sicheng huffs.

“Is that how it is?” Jaehyun drawls, stepping even closer (and making Sicheng’s breath catch). “Winwinie, are we having our first fight over who likes the other more?”

“I suppose we are,” Sicheng allows, fidgeting in his spot. “And can you not stand so close? You’re making me nervous.”

“You just told me to be more obvious,” Jaehyun says, drawing nearer and fitting a hand around Sicheng’s waist. “Isn’t this making my intentions obvious?” he whispers right into Sicheng’s ear.

Poor Sicheng is unable to do anything but gape for a while, rapidly turning into an alarming shade of red at this close proximity.

“Jaehyun,” he finally says in a quiet voice. “Can you please step away, I can’t think.”

“On one condition,” Jaehyun bargains, brushing the hand he has around Sicheng soothingly up and down his back.

“Name your terms,” Sicheng says, the entirety of his attention fixated on Jaehyun’s arm around him and the husky tenor of his voice.

“Delete your Neo account,” Jaehyun returns, his words sounding less like a request and more like an instruction. “And go on a date with me.”

“That’s two conditions,” Sicheng points out like the smartass that he is.

“Winwinie,” Jaehyun whines, the sound traveling straight into Sicheng’s guts and releasing a heady rush of butterflies. “Go out with me.”

“Fine, I will,” Sicheng replies, biting down on a smile that is threatening to take over his whole face. 

“Tonight?” Jaehyun grins eagerly, finally stepping back (and allowing for Sicheng to regulate his breath). “We can have dinner at WV, and then walk through the quad to get those melon ice creams you like?”

“But tonight is movie night,” Sicheng pouts, despite himself. “It’s the one night of the week I can shamelessly cuddle you and fall asleep with you!”

“If you think I am not permanently relocating to your bed and your heart, you’re sorely mistaken,” Jaehyun scoffs. “Just you wait, I’m going to be the clingiest sonofabitch and shower you with hugs and kisses and you won’t ever be able to get rid of me. Is that obvious enough for you?” 

“Oh my god,” Sicheng says, dropping to the floor and clapping his arms over his face. “Why are you like this?”

“ _You_ made me like this,” Jaehyun shoots back, crouching in front of him and poking a finger at his shoulder. “No take backs.”

“Fine, I guess I’ll keep you,” Sicheng says, shifting to a more comfortable cross-legged position. 

“Good,” Jaehyun beams. “Now about that date, when will you let me take you out and allow me a reason to finally start kissing the daylights out of you?”

“Why can’t you kiss me now?” Sicheng asks, tilting his head in that cute way that sometimes makes Jaehyun wants to punch a wall out of cute aggression.

“Wait, you mean I can kiss you? Now?” Jaehyun blinks, unable to compute that _ohmygod his dearest dreams are coming true on the dusty floor of a basement laundry room_.

Sicheng rolls his eyes, and takes initiative. Tugging Jaehyun forward by his nape, Sicheng slots their mouths together, initiating their first kiss (of many to come). 

They kiss, crouching down on that dirty floor until their wash cycles are complete, and only then do they relocate to their room - with intertwined hands and matching puffy lips - to continue becoming familiar with each other’s mouths, hands and bodies.

  
  


It is when they’re about to start their movie night that Sicheng remembers.

“You said earlier you were fending off people. What did you mean by that?” Sicheng asks his boyfriend, who’s walking around their dorm rummaging for snacks, shamelessly stripped down to just his boxers.

“You have to know how attractive you are,” Jaehyun says, grandly gesturing at the lithe lines of Sicheng’s (mostly naked) body splayed over his bed. “I had to fight off suitors left and right from approaching you.”

Sicheng snorts, “If you say so, _babe_.”

“I mean it, Winwinie,” Jaehyun insists. “Ever since I made the mistake of inviting you to one of my games freshman year, my life has been a hell of my teammates stalking your instagram on the regular and hitting me up trying to find out more about you. As if!” he scoffs.

“Is that why you never invited me to any more games?” Sicheng raises an eyebrow in question.

“Well, duh,” Jaehyun declares, victoriously extracting a packet of Skittles from their combined junk food stash. “I’ve been fending off the teammates, and Woo has been assigned to fend off any interested cheerleaders, and trust me there were many,” Jaehyun grumbles, making Sicheng snort again. 

“You didn’t need to put in so much work, I had eyes for no one except you,” Sicheng placates.

“I still can’t believe you thought Woo and I were a thing,” Jaehyun continues, wrinkling his nose. “Woo says congrats, by the way. He told me to ask about your favourite cake flavour because he’s gonna give you a cake for cutting short his misery of listening to me ramble about you all the time.”

“When did you text him?” Sicheng asks, languidly watching Jaehyun approach him.

“When you took that break to stuff your face with the food I got you,” Jaehyun replies, dropping to the bed and crawling up until he’s fitted snugly against Sicheng’s side.

“We should let the hyungs know too,” Sicheng says, dropping a kiss against the tip of Jaehyun’s nose. “They’ll be overjoyed.”

“Overjoyed for you maybe,” Jaehyun retorts, twining his hands around Sicheng’s waist. “They’re going to put the fear of god in me.”

Sicheng doesn’t even have the decency to protest, because _damn right they would_. “We should still update them,” he says instead, patting beneath his pillow, searching for his phone.

“Wear my hoodie first,” Jaehyun requests, pulling his hoodie up from the ground. “The last thing I want them to notice is the hickey I marked against your collarbone.”

“But I thought you were particularly proud of that one,” Sicheng teases, recalling the almost-manic possessive glint in Jaehyun’s eyes after he’d realised he’d marked up Sicheng’s collarbone. 

“I am, but maybe it can be our little secret?” Jaehyun says, placing little kisses against Sicheng’s earlobe.

“Little secret then,” Sicheng says, putting on the offered hoodie and finger-combing his hair into something decent. “Ready for our first photo together, boyfriend?”

“I’m always ready for you,” Jaehyun singsongs, leaning towards Sicheng and squishing their faces together just as the camera went off.

  
  


Later in the groupchat.. _._

**Multinational bros**

_Wingzhounese: guess what, @osakatakoyaki? Your dating app idea worked_

_Kunfucius: are you sure you wanna talk about the app in *this* chat_

_JeffreyintheUSA: let the man speak_

_Dohangul: oh_

_Kunfucius: oh_

_ThaiT: …_

_ThatT: something seems sus_

_ThaiT: @Doyoungul go wake up your boyfie, I feel an announcement coming_

_Dohangul: on it_

_OsakaTakoyaki: here! What’s happening?! Which of you bitches told Dodo to throw water on my face?!_

_ThaiT: so that’s what *that* yelling was about_

_Kunfucius: guys, focus for a second. Sichengie was saying something_

_Wingzhounese: thanks Kun ge <3 _

_Wingzhounese: as I was saying_

_Wingzhounese: Yuta hyung’s dating app idea worked_

_Wingzhounese: because now I have a boyfriend_

_OsakaTakoyaki: jhkgtrlkjbsjlkjljbglktjdiltj_

_ThaiT: wtf that’s too fast_

_Dohangul: i don’t know if I condone this :/_

_Kunfucius: Sichengie this is quite unlike you_

_ThaiT: who is this guy who do i need to run a background check on_

_OsakaTakoyaki: who’s bones do i need to break_

_Wingzhounese: there will be no bone breaking in this house_

_Wingzhounese: and I was hoping you’d be happier for me_

_Wingzhounese: given my boyfriend is…_

_ <Wingzhounese has attached a photo> _

_Kunfucius: oh my god_

_Dohangul: holy fuck_

_Kunfucius: finally_

_ThaiT: called it!_

_OsakaTakoyaki: hallelujah!_

_Dohangul: how did this happen? Tell us everything?_

_JeffreyintheUSA: mind if I tell them, babe?_

_Kunfucius: did he.._

_Dohangul: babe!!_

_ThaiT: !!!!_

_Wingzhounese: go right ahead :)_

_JeffreyintheUSA: it turns out Winwinie and I have been crushing on each other since second sem when we met, but we never spoke about it until today when he told me he signed up for Neo_

_JeffreyintheUSA: no thanks to Yuta hyung by the way >.< _

_Wingzhounese: and J told me to delete and go on a date with him, which we are going on tomorrow evening_

_Kunfucius: congrats guys!_

_Dohangul: i’m so happy you guys got together!_

_ThaiT: expect grilling at practice tomorrow @Wingzhounese_

_ThaiT: but yo, congrats guys, this is the best news ever_

_Kunfucius: omg triple dates all the time!_

_Dohangul: ^_^_

_Wingzhounese: <3 thank you guys, I’m so happy _

_JeffreyintheUSA: we gotta bounce now, movie date_

_Dohangul: have fun~_

_Kunfucius: have fun!_

_ThaiT: have fun, like the ^_^ fun and not the :3 fun_

_Wingzhounese: haha bye guys!_

_Dohangul: I’m so happy for them!_

_Kunfucius: me too!_

_ThaiT: me three_

_ThaiT: we are giving “the talk” to Jaehyun right?_

_Kunfucius: oh yeah_

_Dohangul: for sure_

_ThaiT: @OsakaTakoyaki is being very quiet_

_ThaiT: that’s sus_

_ThaiT: @Dohangul is he crying or something?_

_Dohangul: no, just glaring at his phone_

_OsakaTakoyaki: guys_

_OsakaTakoyaki: notice something about the picture Winko sent?_

_Kunfucius: they look hella cute?_

_ThatT: ^_

_Dohangul: Sicheng is wearing Jaehyun’s hoodie?_

_ThaiT: ^_

_OsakaTakoyaki: lemme zoom in for you_

_ <OsakaTakoyaki has attached a photo> _

_Dohangul: is that…_

_Kunfucius: a hickey on Sichengie’s neck?_

_ThaiT: ohhellno_

_OsakaTakoyaki: Jaehyun better be sleeping with both eyes open because he’s about to catch these hands_

_Kunfucius: i don’t think you are the one he should be worried about_

_OsakaTakoyaki: wdym_

_Kunfucius: :))_

_Dohangul: why does that send shivers up my spine_

_ThaiT: bitch I’m seeing him do the smile in person and I’m about to pee my pants_

_ThaiT: baby looks hot and scary af_

_Dohangul: what’s cooking in your head @Kunfucius_

_Kunfucius: tomorrow I’m about to lay out to Jaehyun exactly how I expect my baby to be treated_

_Kunfucius: :))_

_OsakaTakoyaki: ruh-roh_

_Kunfucius: @ThaiT you’re on Sicheng distraction duty tomorrow morning_

_Kunfucius: while I have go over to their dorm room for a much needed chat_

_Dohangul: can I watch?_

_OsakaTakoyaki: ^_

_Kunfucius: why not_

_Kunfucius: it’s settled then_

_Kunfucius: get some sleep guys_

_Kunfucius: :))_

_ThaiT: jaehyun better start looking for el dorado because my man’s about to flay him alive_

_ThaiT: I love us so much_

_OsakaTakoyaki: ^_

14 hours later…

_Wingzhounese: guys I just turned my phone back on after dance practice_

_Wingzhounese: and why are there so many messages_

_Wingzhounese: oh my god_

_Wingzhounese: hyungs please don’t kill J, I need him alive_

_Wingzhounese: we haven’t even gone on 1 date yet .v._

_Kunfucius: he’s alive, no worries :))_

_JeffreyintheUSA: just scared to an inch of my life_

_JeffreyintheUSA: but don’t worry babe, you got me_

_Wingzhounese: i got you <3 _

_JeffreyintheUSA: <3 _

_Dohangul: ah young love <3 _

_ThaiT: this is cute but at the same time disgusting. I’m watching Sichengie make heart eyes in real time_

_OsakaTakoyaki: i can’t believe they’re doing this right in front of my salad :/_

_Dohangul: you’re having french fries_

_OsakaTakoyaki: potatoes are veggies, ergo fries make a salad_

_Kunfucius: one day, i pray for one day that you lot don’t make me want to delete our friendship_

_ThaiT: but you love us <3 _

_Dohangul: you voluntarily hug us <3 _

_OsakaTakoyaki: ^_

_JeffreyintheUSA: you even hugged me and patted my hair after our talk earlier!_

_ThaiT: *ahem*_

_JeffreyintheUSA: oh right <3 _

_Wingzhounese: you love us Kun ge just admit it <3 _

_Kunfucius: only because it’s you_

_Kunfucius: <3 _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think~
> 
> BONUS: first person to correctly guess any of the three people to slide into Sicheng's DMs will get a snippet of how in an alternate universe (where Jaehyun doesn't confess) things would have played out between Sicheng and his mystery paramour(s).
> 
> P.S. because y'all are so good at guessing, I've added an extra chapter featuring Sicheng's mystery paramours


	2. Short excerpts aka the AUs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The AUs aka the pairs that could have been if JaeWin weren't the end goal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to everyone who made time to read through the fic and leave guesses. Y'all are the real MVPs <3

**Neo Date Option 1: Lee Taeyong**

In another universe, Sicheng matches with Lee Taeyong, senior who is an arts major and whose handsome visuals outshine any art piece Sicheng has had the pleasure of viewing.

After a week spent chatting online, Sicheng agrees to go on a picnic-and-boat-ride date with Taeyong at their local park. At the end of it Taeyong indicates he'd like to get to know him better.

Burying what feels like guilt in his heart, Sicheng confesses he won't be able to commit because his heart belongs to someone else.

Taeyong says he understands and but he still thinks they could work.

He urges Sicheng to give him a chance, and Sicheng semi-reluctantly does, because getting with Jaehyun seems a lost cause, and Taeyong - who bought him cotton candy instead of flowers for their date - is willing to be patient for him.

And so they go on dates, and meet up sometimes to study together in the library, or just send each other good luck messages when either have an exhibition upcoming.

Three months and exactly seventeen dates later, Sicheng introduces Taeyong to his hyung squad (who all approve, by the way, in their idiosyncratic ways) and pauses for a moment when he introspects, only to find affection for Taeyong (Yongie hyung by then) already deep-seated in his heart.

That night, when Taeyong walks Sicheng back to his dorm, Taeyong's jacket is fitted snugly around Sicheng's shoulders. They make small chat as they stroll through the campus grounds, but Sicheng is distracted, mind busy parsing the adoring looks Taeyong throws his way when Taeyong thinks he isn't looking. (Sicheng has been noticing, for quite some time, if he's going to be honest.)

When they are about to bid goodnight, Sicheng reaches out bravely to interlace their fingers together. Taeyong looks at him with surprise and with hope, and Sicheng runs away right after kissing the edge of Taeyong's jaw.

Five months, and a hundred and thirty four kisses later, Sicheng introduces his boyfriend Yongie hyung to Jaehyun, and only finds happiness bubbling inside his heart when Jaehyun tells him he's picked a great one.

**Neo Date Option 2: Johnny Suh  
**

It's very rare the Johnny matches up with people who sign up on his campus-wide dating app, having set the narrowest of match criteria that he'd thought possible. So, imagine his surprise when he wakes up one fine morning and finds a match on his Neo profile, bearing the picture of a guy who looks too pretty to be real.

He starts chatting with this _Winwin_ fellow simply out of curiousity, and their conversation - which had started out awkwardly formal - easily devolves into them sharing memes almost overnight.

Imagine his surprise when he bumps into his friend Jaehyun at a cafe exactly one week after, and gets introduced to his roommate, Winwin.

"The world sure is small," Johnny muses, reaching out to shake hands with this Winwin, who is still unfairly pretty even in person.

"Big mood," Winwin says without inflection, cracking a blinding grin when Johnny snorts.

Ignoring Jaehyun's consternation about how they know each other or why are they fluent in meme-speak, Johnny and Winwin spend an afternoon abandoning their respective papers and assignments to talk and get to know each other.

At the end of their first meet, they both come to a mutual conclusion that they make better sense as friends rather than romantic interests. Winwin takes it in stride, happy to make a new friend, and Johnny leaves the cafe happy, armed with the instagram handle of his new friend. (Side note: who in their right mind claims Wingzhounese as their handle and why?)

They grow closer eventually, planning road trips and surprise parties for their mutual friend Jaehyun, and Johnny comforts Sicheng when he figures out the long looks Sicheng shoots Jaehyun's way when he's unaware. Two years since they became friends, Sicheng, in a stroke of self-proclaimed genius, gleefully sets Johnny up with his cherished junior Xiaojun, who is playful enough to understand Johnny's wit but loving enough to complete him in a way Sicheng never could.

Sicheng eventually stepping up to play Johnny's best man when the duo tie the knot five years later, and shoots _a look_ at a smugly grinning Johnny when Johnny's cousin from Canada, Mark, blushes his way into insisting that Sicheng _has to_ dance with him.

**Neo Date Option 3: Wong Yukhei  
**

When Sicheng studies the profile of his match Wong Lucas, he has a premonition: this boy will upend his life.

And Yukhei does, spectacularly.

Their very first conversation lasts late into the night, with Yukhei making Sicheng google whether giraffe's spots are unique, and can be used to (hypothetically) criminally indict a giraffe. And Sicheng ends up reevaluating every life choices that has led up to this moment.

Their first date happens to be a go-karting adventure which results in a broken nose and a sprained ankle, and with Sicheng realising why Yukhei seems so familiar. Turns out, he's a freshman who happens to be part of Jaehyun's team, because of course he is.

That day, despite being proven horrible at go-kart, Sicheng would end up having a wonderful time on the date, thanks to Yukhei being so attentive and openly affectionate.

Sicheng has no misgivings about going on a second date, just for fun. And then a third date.

Their fourth date has them end up in a Thai restaurant that Yukhei has been meaning to try for the longest time.

It's on that date, when Yukhei talks adoringly of the mother who raised him and whom he misses so dearly, that Sicheng realises that Yukhei is just a deep thinker as he is a relentless optimist, and perhaps Sicheng could see him becoming fond of this boy who highfives him goodbye after every date. Sicheng pays their bill when Yukhei is distracted by something happening in his group chat, and has to hide a smile when Yukhei pouts at him in reply.

It isn't until exam week though, when the two of them are studying together in a cafe that Sicheng realises that Yukhei - despite being so openly affectionate and clingy to everyone he cherishes (which for some reason consists of Yuta, who'd been his campus guide before he'd joined) - has never tried to touch him or kiss him without consent, and has always tried to show up to Sicheng's performances without expecting Sicheng to go to his games.

This time, when they are packing up to go back to their respective dorms, Sicheng doesn't hesitate to lean into Yukhei's space and wrap him in a hug that lasts too long to be platonic. A beaming Yukhei is the one to leave the first peck on the tip of Sicheng's elfin ear when they part at the intersection between their dorms, promising him a fun-filled date to come (as soon as exam week is behind them). Sicheng doesn't doubt him one bit.

They eventually get to exchanging 'I Love You's just shy of their first anniversary, but Sicheng supposes he's been fond of Yukhei somewhat ever since Yukhei had accidentally waved a little too enthusiastically and broken his nose on their first date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Hope you like this too~


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